Author: rayhanania

RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books. Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007). Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. Click here to send Ray Hanania email. Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter

Sudan targets newspapers, journalists with confiscations and draconian legislation

December 6, 2017December 6, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

Sudan targets newspapers, journalists with confiscations and draconian legislation New York, December 6, 2017—Sudanese authorities should stop confiscating newspapers and drop draft laws that would further curtail press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Over the past nine days, agents from Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have confiscated all copies of…

Arab World, Journalism, Middle East, News

Reaction to Trump’s recognition of Occupied Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

December 6, 2017April 13, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

Reaction to Trump’s recognition of Occupied Jerusalem as Israel’s capital Here’s a round-up of some of the reaction to President Trump’s decision to recognize Occupied Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel: (Click here to read President Trump’s statement) Yuseff Munayyer, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights: “Trump is telling Israel that its current separate-and-unequal – otherwise…

American Arabs, Arab World, Israel, Middle East, News, Palestine & Jordan, Terrorism

Official Statement by President Trump on Jerusalem

December 6, 2017December 6, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

Official Statement by President Trump on Jerusalem Diplomatic Reception Room 1:07 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. When I came into office, I promised to look at the world’s challenges with open eyes and very fresh thinking. We cannot solve our problems by making the same failed assumptions and repeating the same failed strategies of…

Arab World, Christian & Muslim, Editors Picks, Israel, Middle East, News, Palestine & Jordan, religion

Palestinian leader Ashrawi warns Jerusalem move will end peace process

December 5, 2017December 5, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

Palestinian leader Ashrawi warns Jerusalem move will end peace process December 5, 2017: Dr. Ashrawi: President Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem is a fatal blow to peace and security Commenting on U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate the embassy to Jerusalem, PLO Executive Committee Member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi strongly condemned…

Arab World, Israel, Middle East, News, Palestine & Jordan, Terrorism

American views of Arabs and Muslims improve, AAI study shows

December 5, 2017December 5, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

American views of Arabs and Muslims improve, AAI study shows Poll Shows Positive Shift Accompanied by a Deep Partisan Rift in Americans’ Views of Arabs & Muslims. This, in the face of an Increase in Hate Crimes & Bigotry (Washington) The Arab American Institute (AAI) released a new poll today, examining American Attitudes towards Arabs, Muslims,…

American Arabs, News, racism, religion

Peace Now opposes US Embassy move to Jerusalem

November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

Peace Now opposes US Embassy move to Jerusalem APN to Trump: Don’t Transfer Israel Embassy to Jerusalem Washington, DC — Alarmed by reports that the Trump Administration is considering immediate action to move the US Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Americans for Peace Now is calling on President Trump to eschew this dangerous action….

Arab World, Israel, Middle East, News, Palestine & Jordan, Politics

Interview with the filmmakers of “Holy Air”

November 30, 2017April 17, 2018 rayhanania 2 Comments

Interview with the filmmakers of “Holy Air” Holy Air is a satirically sad and humorous look at Christian life in Israel. Movie review of “Holy Air” by writer and producer Shady Srour and Director Ilan Moskovitch. Arabic, English and Hebrew. Also a Podcast Interview with Srour and Moskovitch about the challenges of making a film…

Arab World, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, Editors Picks, Entertainment, Israel, Middle East, Movies, Opinion, Palestine & Jordan, Podcast, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

NY Theater presents Arab American struggles in Jim Crow era

November 29, 2017November 29, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

NY Theater presents Arab American struggles in Jim Crow era NEW YORK THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS ARAB AMERICAN STRUGGLES IN JIM CROW SOUTH Noor Theatre makes Michigan debut at Arab American National Museum Dec. 8 as part of Museum’s Artists + Residents program Dearborn, Mich. (Nov. 29, 2017) – The Global Fridays Fall 2017 season at…

American Arabs, Entertainment, mainstream, News, racism

UN to list businesses operating illegally in Occupied Palestinian lands

November 26, 2017November 27, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

UN to list businesses operating illegally in Occupied Palestinian lands The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) is preparing to release a list of all of the businesses and corporations that are operating illegally on lands captured by Israel in 1967 in violation of international law. Despite Israel’s clever PR, companies that operate in the…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania

An American Arab Thanksgiving

November 23, 2017September 25, 2018 rayhanania No Comments

An American Arab Thanksgiving Remembering back to the 1960s when Arab Americans had hope for freedom and racism in America was focused elsewhere. Thanksgiving was a feast in Arab American homes in the 1960s and 1970s before politics, hatred, racism and Israeli violence created a refugee crisis By Ray Hanania Thanksgiving is a special holiday…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Features, mainstream, Opinion, Palestine & Jordan, racism, Ray Hanania

2017 Annual Arab-American Heritage Month Courthouse Tour

November 21, 2017November 21, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

2017 Annual Arab-American Heritage Month Courthouse Tour In honor of Arab-American Heritage Month, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans hosted a tour of the Richard J. Daley Center on Wednesday November 15, 2017. Co-sponsoring the tour was the Arab-American Bar Association of Illinois. The Annual Arab-American heritage Month Courthouse tour is part of the court’s year-round…

American Arabs, Features, mainstream, News

Empowering women to solve refugee crisis focus of speech

November 15, 2017November 15, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

Empowering women to solve refugee crisis focus of speech Nezha Alaoui Was a Featured Speaker at the UCLA Center for Middle East Development’s 12th Annual Conference, ‘Enriching the Middle East’s Economic Future’. President and Founder of Mayshad Foundation Discussed Empowering Women and Importance of Entrepreneurship to Help Solve Refugee Crisis at Invite-Only Event in Doha…

Arab World, Middle East, News

Lebanon turmoil stoked by pro-Iranian extremists

November 14, 2017November 14, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

Lebanon turmoil stoked by pro-Iranian extremists The murder of Rafic Hariri weighs heavy over freedom in Lebanon, 12 years later. And the same forces of violence and extremism are seeking to enforce more change through terrorism. Hariri’s son Saad faces threats of violence from Syria, Iran and Hezbollah extremists By Ray Hanania If people want…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Gulf States, Iran, Lebanon, Middle East, Opinion, Politics, Ray Hanania, Syria, Terrorism

McCollum introduces bill to protect Palestinian children

November 14, 2017November 23, 2017 rayhanania 2 Comments

McCollum introduces bill to protect Palestinian children U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) today introduced legislation— the Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act — to prevent United States tax dollars from supporting the Israeli military’s ongoing detention and mistreatment of Palestinian children. The full text of the bill can be found here. An estimated…

American Arabs, Israel, mainstream, News, Palestine & Jordan

Adam Levinson releases new book The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah

November 13, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

Adam Levinson releases new book The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah: Fear and Love in the Modern Middle East By Adam Valen Levinson In THE ABU DHABI BAR MITZVAH: Fear and Love in the Modern Middle East [W. W. Norton & Company; November 14, 2017; $25.95 hardcover], Valen Levinson, armed only with college…

American Arabs, Arab World, Book Review, Entertainment, Features, Gulf States, Middle East, News

Israel blocks Christians from visiting grave sites

November 13, 2017November 13, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

Israel blocks Christians from visiting grave sites Israel blocks Palestinian grandmother from visiting father’s grave in Christian cemetery. Israeli army expelled residents, demolished Galilee village in 1948; Adalah demands all displaced residents of Ma’alul be allowed to visit family graves, now surrounded by Israeli military base. For years, Israel has been preventing Salwa Salem-Copty, a Christian…

Arab World, Christian & Muslim, Israel, Middle East, News, Palestine & Jordan, racism

Israel’s Lobby in Australia must register under new law

November 9, 2017April 13, 2019 rayhanania 1 Comment

Israel’s Lobby in Australia must register under new law Legislation planned by Attorney General Brandis to require registration of agents of a foreign power should be welcomed as an opportunity to define the activities of the pro-Israel lobby in Australia, according to former Palestinian Ambassador to Australia, Mr. Ali Kazak. Mr. Kazak has been an…

Arab World, Israel, mainstream, News, Palestine & Jordan, Politics

Faith groups oppose denial of civil rights to critics of Israel

November 7, 2017November 7, 2017 rayhanania No Comments

Faith groups oppose denial of civil rights to critics of Israel Faith Groups Publish Statement Defending First Amendment Right to Boycott Friends of Sabeel North America, FOSNA, announces a full-page statement published today in The Kansas City Star on behalf of the Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, Alliance of Baptists, American Friends Service Committee,…